It depends on what kind of complaint or issue you mean, but Durham usually aims to investigate straightforward complaints within 10 working days. More complex complaints can take longer, and some routes have different timescales.
| Complaint / issue type | Usual council timescale |
|---|---|
| Children’s Services, Stage 1 (local resolution) | 10 working days |
| Children’s Services, Stage 2 (formal enquiries / independent investigation) | 25 working days |
| Corporate complaints about Children’s Services | within 10 working days whenever possible |
| Adult social care corporate complaints | council will try to contact you within 24 hours to agree a response timescale |
| General complaints to the council | the online complaints page doesn’t give one single investigation time |
| Complaints about council staff | the issue will be thoroughly investigated, but no fixed timeframe is given |
If you want the quickest route, Durham says some issues can be resolved without a formal complaint, and using an online form to report the issue may be quicker.